Access is asking the community to help us keep the spirit alive this holiday season and bring holiday cheer to adolescents in two transitional living arrangements. Hawkins House is a nine bed P.A.S.S. (Preparing Adolescents for Self Sufficiency) level group home that serves female adolescents between the ages of 14 and 20 years referred by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) who require out of home care in Danielson. Crossroads is an eight bed S.W.E.T.P. (Supportive Work Education and Transition Program) that serves adolescent females - and more recently, adolescent males between the ages of 16 and 20 years. Crossroads youth are referred to the program by the Department of Children and families (DCF) for support as they transition into independent adult lives.

The need to bring the Holiday Spirit to these youths is made clear by Crossroads Director, Katrina Kettle, as she expresses, "… with the limited amount of funds each year we are finding it more and more difficult to get the gifts that all young people look forward to in the Holiday Season." The "Giving Tree" is decorated with ornaments and on each ornament is a residents' wish for a particular gift. The adolescent gift list includes: room décor and tools for a new apartment, men's socks for size 8-8.5, woman's socks (medium), Ladies & Men's t-shirts (medium), winter boots size 8 for women, hats and sweaters for men and women, medium sweat pants/ jogging pants and sweat shirts for Ladies, nail polishes, make-up, body mists, jewelry, scented wax warmers and cubes, headphones, speakers, movies/games and Gift cards.

Community members who would like to continue this wonderful act of charity can contact the Community Engagement Associate Elisha Sherman at (860) 450-7400, ext. 7456 or elisha.sherman@accessagency.org.

The Access Community Action Agency is the federal and state designated anti-poverty agency for Windham and Tolland Counties. Access provides supplemental food, emergency shelter, energy assistance, energy conservation services, job and life skills training, youth mentoring, group homes, senior housing and more for low-income families and individuals. For more information about Access' services, call (860) 450-7400 in the Willimantic area, (860) 412-1600 in the Danielson area, or visit www.accessagency.org.